Yoga pants with padded knees

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to yoga pants with built in strategically positioned pads to protect the knees while practicing yoga postures (positions) that require knee to floor contact. The original invention is designed to facilitate comfort, warmth and ease of movement during yoga practice. Other utilities apply.

BACKGROUND OF PRIOR ART

There are various styles of sport activity garments which providepadding to protect the hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, chest, whileparticipating in ice skating, skiing, motor cross and motor racing,horseback riding, baseball, soccer and football. All of these garmentsare designed to worn while participating in rugged outdoor activity.Most of these garments utilize open cell foam, or a jell like substance,or plastic, which is not washable and is not built in.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,407 Oct. 20, 1987—Protective Garment for motor crossand motor racing. This garment protects the hips, thighs and kidneys.Pads made of soft plastic, layered fabric.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,297 Apr. 8, 1986—Ski Pants with elastic knee andshin guards.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,052 Oct. 1, 1991—Protective Ice skating outfit withremovable pads.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,454 Dec.17 1991 Garment with appendage portionshaving extensible flexible joints.

Protective garment specific to fire fighters.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,082 Sep. 3, 1996 Protective athletic pants providegel ribs to protect wearer from injury to hips, thighs and buttocks, fora variety of outdoor activities.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,599 B1, Mar. 18, 2003 Athletic shorts with removablehip, thigh and tailbone pads.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,789 B1 Jun. 20, 2006 Outdoor winter sports apparel,with pads to protect buttocks, hips, and knees. Pads are bulky andremovable and vague with regard to specific placement of pads and use ofmaterial for padding is also vague.

While all of these inventions provide padding to protect various areasof the body during physical activity, all of these garments pertain torugged activity. Yoga is a completely different form of exercise. Whileit can be vigorous depending on the style of yoga, it is a sport thatrequires fluidity of motion. The clothing that an individual wearsduring yoga practice should enable the wearer to move with ease, notinhibit one's movements in any way. Not one of these inventionsaddresses the needs that are relevant to yoga, therefore none of thesegarments are suitable for yoga practice.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

My invention calls for closed cell foam, specifically perforatedneoprene which is backed (covered) on both sides with nylon fabric. Thenylon backed perforated neoprene is cut into an elongated shapedrectangle and sewn inbetween two layers of light weight 4 way stretchfabric, (like a pillow case.) The pillowcase is sewn through all 3layers, with flatlock stitching to provide comfort and stability. As abuilt in feature, the kneepad panel is breathable, fully washable,flexible and compatible with the yoga pants. The construction of thepanel fully integrates the kneepad panel into the underside of thegarment, uniting the kneepad with the garment, in this case, yoga pants.

This pillow encased perforated neoprene is then sewn into the underside(inside) of the front leg pant panel with flatlock stitching all the wayaround the kneepad. The kneepad is elongated to cover and protect thekneecap. Additionally the kneepad extends 2½ inches above the kneecapand 2½ inches below the kneecap. The dimensions of the actual kneepanels are calibrated for size adjustments according to industry sizingstandards, ie: XS, SM, M, LG, XLG. The length of the pad will varydepending on the actual size of the yoga pants.

IDENTIFICATION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Front view of yoga pants with padded knees. This is a flatdrawing.

FIG. 2 Front view on a figure, indicating how the garment actually fitsthe body.

FIG. 3 Back view on a figure, indicating how the garment actually fits.

FIG. 4 Side view on a figure, demonstrating knee to floor contact.

FIG. 5 Upright view of perforated neoprene panel, backed with nylon—theneoprene is perforated then covered with a solid sheet of nylon,therefore the perforations are in the neoprene, not in the nylon fabriccover. The nylon covers the neoprene on both sides of the kneepad.

FIG. 6 Upright view of perforated neoprene kneepad sandwiched between 2panels of fabric. The edges of the fabric covered foam are sewn,encasing the foam in what will be referred to as “the pillow case.”

FIG. 7 Side view of the perforated neoprene kneepad panel “the pillowcase.”

FIG. 8 Inside view of the flat leg panel, with the kneepad panel “pillowcase” sewn into the underside of the front leg panel.

FIG. 9 Back leg panels

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Shows a flat front exterior view of the yoga pants with paddedknees. 10. What is visible are the finely stitched panels surroundingthe knees. 11. The intention of this invention is to provide compactcushioning and warmth for the knees, which is built in to the undersideof the front leg panel. The exterior of the garment will in most caseslook like any other pair of yoga pants. Styling embellishments willserve as decoration only. The inner construction of the perforatedneoprene pillow case will remain constant as the foundation of myinvention.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 Show front 12 and back 13 views of my yoga pants withknee pads, 14 on the figure. What is clear in FIG. 2 is the simple seamstitching from the inner 15 to outer 16 seams, as well as the seams thatare strategically positioned several inches above 17 the knees and below18 the knees. These seams are created from the inside when sewing the“pillowcase” into place on the inside of the front leg panel. FIG. 3Shows that from the back, these pants look like any other yoga pant,since the construction of the knee pads are built in to the inside ofthe front leg panel, only.

FIG. 4 Shows a side lunge view, on the figure. From this angle, thevalue and purpose of my invention is self evident.

What is visible are the inner 19 and outer 20 seams, the knee pad panels21, 22 which are sewn into the side seams and top and bottom seams 23,24 of the front leg panel, and the knee to floor contact 25 which isprotected by the built in knee pads

FIG. 5 Perforated neoprene knee pad panel 26 covered in nylon on bothsides, front and back 27, 28.

FIG. 6 The perforated neoprene is sandwiched between 2 layers of fabric29, 30 which has 4 way stretch, is breathable, washable and compatiblewith the fabric that is used to manufacture the yoga pants, ie.Cotton/spandex, cotton/lycra.

Meryl, cotton/bamboo etc. The fabric is stitched along the edge of theperforated neoprene, 31,32,33,34, creating a “pillow case” for thekneepad. This “pillow case is then strategically positioned and sewnusing flatlock stitching into the inside of the front leg panel withinthe knee zone.

FIG. 7 Illustrates the side view of the sewn pillow case with stitchingcompleted. This side view will vary as the thickness of the perforatedneoprene will vary, as offering different thicknesses of foam is a largepart of the branding/marketing potential that exists with thisinvention.

FIG. 8 This figure shows the flat inside view 36 of the front leg panel,with the kneepad pillow case attached 37 to all four seams 38, 39, 40,41 These seams are sewn with flat lock stitching for maximum comfort

FIG. 9 This figure show the back leg panels which will be attached tothe front leg panels and sewn together along the inner and outer seams,creating the legs of the pants. The styles of the pants will change withthe seasons but this will have no bearing on the invention, as the stateof the art of the invention remains constant.

Refer once again to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 for ultimate representation ofthis invention.

1. A garment, specifically a yoga pant with built in padded knees, whichis breathable, flexible, washable and comfortable. My invention is ayoga pant with perforated neoprene kneepads that are first covered innylon, then covered in 2 layers of 4 way stretch fabric. The 2 layers offabric are then sewn together encasing the perforated neoprene insidewhat is referred to as “the pillow case.” This “pillow case” is thenstrategically positioned to the underside (inside) of the front legpanel and flatlock stitch sewn into place. The kneepad pillowcase isstrategically positioned to cover the kneecap as well as several inchesabove the knee several inches below the knee. The actual dimensions ofthe kneepad panel will vary depending upon the size of the actualgarment. XS, SM, M, LG and XLG. The intention is to make available yogapants with kneepads for people of all shapes and sizes, since people ofall shapes and sizes practice yoga.
 2. A garment according to claim 1with a perforated neoprene kneepad pillowcase in the thickness of 1.2mm.
 3. A garment according to claim 2 and 1 with a perforated neoprenekneepad pillowcase in the thickness of 2 mm.
 4. A garment according toclaim 3, 2, 1, with a perforated neoprene pillowcase in the thickness of3 mm.
 5. A garment according to claim 4, 3, 2, 1, with a perforatedneoprene pillowcase in the thickness of 4 mm.
 6. A garment according tothe claim 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 with a perforated neoprene pillowcase in thethickness of 5 mm.